


The Ultimate Reborn

by Rallying Spritzy (ladyspritzy)



Series: Bloodties of Mobius [2]
Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - Fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-01-06
Updated: 2009-01-06
Packaged: 2017-11-08 08:59:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,777
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/441475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyspritzy/pseuds/Rallying%20Spritzy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Amanaru's been sent on a mission: to warn the clans about the amassing of the Cult of Eggman. The one problem: trying to get to all of the major clans before the Evil One is brought back to life. Second of Bloodties of Mobius.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> All Sonic the Hedgehog characters, situations, places, ideas, et cetera are the property of Yuji Naka, SEGA, and Sonic Team, and I gain no profits from this work.  
> This series is old, and will never see completion.

"Ha ha! You can't catch me, Zulkin!" Amanaru laughed, gliding over his head.

"That's not fair!" he yelled, quickly climbing one of the tall trees in the Clearing and gliding after his sister.

"How's it not fair?" she asked, "You climb better than I do with those weird spikes of yours."

"But you glide faster," Zulkin complained, not gliding quite close enough to catch Amanaru.

"So?" she asked, ducking behind one of the support columns for the Dome atop the Pyramid and dashing down the steps.

"So it's not fair!" Zulkin barked, following her down the steps. He jumped and tackled her from behind. The pair tumbled down the steps together, and when they finally hit the bottom, they lay dazed for a few minutes.

Amanaru recovered first, and pounced on Zulkin, making sure she pinned his powerful arms with her strong legs as she sat on his chest. "I win," she declared brightly, grinning widely.

"I never said that," Zulkin growled defiantly, struggling to get himself out from underneath his adopted sister.

Amanaru resisted the urge to lean into his face to gloat, as that would give him enough room to free himself.

"Will you at least let me breathe?" Zulkin asked, glaring at his sister.

"Not until you concede."

"Never."

"Then you'll be stuck under my butt until dinner," Amanaru said simply, looking smugly down at her brother.

After about three seconds, Zulkin arched his back in an attempt to throw Amanaru off, but merely made her loose her balance a little. Which was all he needed.

"Makis, help," he called, and the little chao rammed Amanaru in the shoulder, shoving her completely off of her brother. She instinctively rolled into a tight ball, a red-and-white sphere of spines.

As she came out of her ball and skidded to a halt, Amanaru looked up to see Zulkin advancing quickly on her, his fist pulled back and ready to strike. She stayed where she was until he was right on top of her, then slipped underneath him and used his momentum to flip him over her shoulders and felt his head roll down her spine. She heard him land on his feet and quickly swept her leg under him in a tight circle, tripping him.

Unfortunately for the hedgehog girl, he landed right on top of her. With Zulkin's red quills in her face, Amanaru was extremely uncomfortable. She shoved him one way with her left arm, and when she went to roll in the opposite direction, she found her right arm was pinned under Zulkin's white-gloved hand.

"Sneaky. Gonna let me go now?" Amanaru asked after a second.

"Not until you concede," Zulkin replied smugly.

"Clever. Now let me try something," Amanaru said, whipping her legs around his and pulling him back to the ground. She jumped up quickly and dashed up the steps, using her powerful legs to jump half-way up one of the support pillars for the Dome atop the Pyramid. She was bound to win this round of King of the Mount. Or Pyramid. Whatever.

Amanaru shimmied quickly but awkwardly up the column, some of the stone crumbling under her grasp.

"No you don't!" Zulkin roared from below her, and jumped up the pillar she was on. Amanaru groaned inwardly. Once Zulkin had begun the initial climb up the Dome, he was practically unbeatable.

The girl hedgehog climbed more quickly, but could still hear her brother's spiked knuckles digging into the old stones of the support column under her. She made a snap decision.

When Zulkin was just inches below Amanaru's, she let go suddenly, making sure both of her feet were together right above his head. She landed hard on him, and he tumbled to the ground, several yards below. She shimmied the rest of the way up the column, and swung herself up to rest lightly on top of the Dome.

Amanaru looked over the edge of the Dome where the support column to find herself snout-to-snout with Zulkin, who had swiftly climbed up the column after her.

After a few seconds of staring into his sister's ruby eyes, he grinned as he said, "Alright, I concede. Good job, sis. You finally made it." He dropped lightly to the ground below, bracing his feet and holding out his arms to catch the hedgehog girl as she dropped from her perch atop the Dome.

"Let's head on home," Amanaru said as Zulkin set her on her feet, "I think it's almost dinner time."

As the duo left the Clearing, a small pair of black eyes watched them from the thick undergrowth.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh, Zulkin, how'd you get that bruise?" Kulka asked, making a fuss over her son's discolored cranium.

"Ran into a tree," the young echidna replied, wincing as his mother caressed his sore.

Amanaru laughed inside. Long ago, the two adopted siblings had agreed to keep the Clearing a secret from everybody else. That way, they both had a private sanctuary away from the world.

"You need to work on your aim a bit," the albino hedgehog said with a slight snicker.

Kulka gave her adopted daughter a hard stare, and Amanaru quickly quit laughing. The older echidna returned her gaze to her son and said, "Well, there's not much we can to do fix it up. It will heal with time." She gave Zulkin a final pat on the head.

"Ow! Mom, what the heck'd you do _that_ for?" Zulkin grumbled, his head throbbing in pain.

"Just making sure you'll live is all," Kulka said, smiling with a slight, sly glint in her eyes, "Now, you two head on to the Great Hall. Your father and I will be along shortly."

"'Kay mom," Amanaru and Zulkin said, the echidna holding the door open for his hedgehog sister.

"Nice cover, Zul," Amanaru said as they strode through column-walled hallways of Angel Island's only inhabited area. Zulkin gave her playful punch on the arm, careful of the spikes perched on his hand like twin spires.

"Hey, it's better than some of the stuff that _you've_ come up with, Mana," Zulkin replied, "What was that one the other day, 'I accidentally kicked a rock too hard'?"

"Aw, you're just jealous that I got away with that one," Amanaru replied, grinning devilishly at the echidna.

"Hey, guys," a voice called. Amanaru and Zulkin stopped and turned simultaneously to see a pink echidna girl running up. Her brown skirt rippled like waves as she ran, and her 'dreadspikes', as the hedgehog so jokingly called them, bounced up and down.

"Hi, Kaisha," Zulkin said with slight hesitation.

"Hello," Amanaru grumbled, her ruby eyes taking on the dull expression of indifference.

"Aww, what'd I ever do to you?" Kaisha asked, playfully sticking her face in Amanaru's. The albino hedgehog bared her sharp, white teeth- a habit from her short days on the streets that she had never bothered to try and break. The pink echidna girl backed away with her hands up in the universal 'woah' gesture and said, "Sorry to offend you."

Amanaru just glared, sweeping away with long, measured strides.

"Hey, Mana!" Zulkin called, running to catch up with his sister. "What the hell is your problem?" the echidna hissed, grabbing Amanaru's arm and pulling her around to look at her.

Amanaru didn't have a good answer for him- it just seemed odd, somehow. She didn't like the look of another echidna making her brother feel like that.

Zulkin called her out on her silence. "Look, if you can't just be nice to her, then I'll ask her to leave you alone. But," he stared deep into her eyes, " _I,_ will continue to hang around her. She makes me feel, I dunno, _special_."

"What, and I don't?" Amanaru growled, hurt.

"No, that's not it!"

"Then what is it?"

"It's," Zulkin sighed, his patience failing. "I'm not sure what it is. But you've really got to stop acting like- like such a _girl!_ " Zulkin snarled, storming back over to Kaisha.

Amanaru stood in stunned silence, staring as Zulkin and Kaisha walked away. She opened her mouth to shout an angry remark at her brother, but the happy duo were already too far gone.

The albino hedgehog sighed, and walked dejectedly towards the Great Hall. A thought crumbled free in her head, and she turned suddenly, diverting her course in the direction of the kitchens.

 _Amanaru, my daughter, my blood, don't be disheartened,_ a low, masculine voice whispered in Amanaru's ear. The white hedgehog snapped out of her self-pitying stupor and jerked her head around to catch a glimpse of the speaker.

After a quick glance, Amanaru saw no one, and sighed. "Damn," she muttered to herself, "I'm going crazy."

She shrugged and continued on her way to the kitchens in silence. The hedgehog wasn't bothered as she made her way, since the echidnas knew her as family. If she had just been some simple visitor from another clan, she would have an escort at all times, and wouldn't be allowed in most of the areas she could roam with ease.

The albino slipped quietly into the kitchen and headed straight for the place she usually hid when she wanted to be alone, which was hidden behind the three monstrous cupboards. The curled up into a tight ball, something her brother couldn't quite do, and hunkered down, letting her thoughts wander.

Jealousy crossed the hedgehog's mind loads of times, as well as anger and a small amount of hatred. She couldn't stand to see Zulkin with another echidna- it just didn't feel right. She didn't necessarily know what kind of girl should be with her brother, but she knew what kind shouldn't.

After the negative thoughts swirled about her head for a while, she fell fast asleep. She was troubled by the same dream she had every night, the one with the blue hedgehog. When she thought about it, she found him rather attractive, but she just figured it was because he was the only other hedgehog she saw on a regular basis. She still didn't know his name, although she had come to remember the names of all the others.

Amanaru once again came to the monstrous double doors that stood solid before the Blue's onslaught. As he turned to her, she stepped expectantly towards the doors, but before she could place her hands on the blockade, the Blue put his arm up to block her. He looked her in the eyes and grinned as he said, "It's almost time, kid. Get ready, and listen to Shadow- he's pretty smart. So hurry and wake up."

Amanaru's eyes flew open as she heard a rustle in the kitchen.

"She must be in here somewhere," the hedgehog heard Kulina's voice say from the other side of the cupboard.

"Amanaru, are you in here?" she heard Zulkin call.

The hedgehog girl was about to come when she heard Kaisha say, "She probably ran off into the forest like a Feral." She laughed like it was a funny joke.

"Well, let's head on out, then. No sense in looking where she isn't," Zulkin replied, and once the door had closed and the footsteps had retreated, Mana slipped out of her hiding spot, keeping low. She didn't like the sound in those voices, especially Kaisha's.

 _I wonder what that was about,_ Amanaru thought, finally righting herself.

"Aha!" Zulkin cried, rising from behind a counter and pointing at his sister.

 _Damn he's stealthy,_ Amanaru thought to herself, blinking in surprise.

"Sis, you need to leave," Zulkin said, pulling her toward the door.

"Why?" The anxiety in the echidna's voice put her on edge.

"Just head for the Clearing, and don't let anyone see you. I'll meet you there soon enough, but until I come get you, just wait there." Zulkin stared straight into his sister's eyes, and she nodded. He then gave her a quick, hard hug and said as he pulled away, "Damn, I hate you when you're right."

Amanaru gave him a puzzled look, but said nothing as she poked her head cautiously out the door to make sure no one was around. She then took off, dashing from building to building, staying under cover for as long as she could until she got to the Field between the Forest and the Complex.

As she reached the Field, she stopped to catch her breath. Then she hunkered down beside the final building and let her eyes penetrate the Forest as best as she could. Granted, the red echidnas, which were most common, were easy to spot, there were other echidnas as well that could easily hide in the foliage. She was at much of a disadvantage, if not more so, than the echidnas, so she had to make sure none were there.

"There she is!" a voice roared from behind, and Amanaru gunned forward, throwing caution to the winds. She was found, so now all she could do was flee.

The hedgehog had two advantages: she knew the Forest well, since she had spent so much time there; and she was ungodly fast. She could easily outrun the echidnas, which is why she never joined their races. The Field was her only enemy now, but she did the best she could with it by weaving and dipping, letting instinct guide her.

 _Jump, girl,_ a voice whispered, and Amanaru obeyed, leaping deftly over an object that looked like two rocks held together with string, obviously meant to trip her up.

"Damn," Amanaru growled to herself as she continued her run, praying to Maria that she didn't get hit.

The trees were growing rapidly, but Amanaru's instincts weren't letting her slow. In fact, the moment she hit the tree line, she sped up and let her practiced body run on autopilot. Over stumps and dead logs, under branches, around trunks, and even diving through thorn despite her summery clothes. She took a long and weaving route, passing the entrance to the Clearing several times until she was absolutely positive no one knew where she was.

When the hedgehog finally came into the filtered green light of the Clearing, Chao flocked to her, crying happily. To them, she was just there to play.

"Where's Zulkin?" Makis asked in the Chao language. The hedgehog had learned it steadily over the years, and understood him perfectly.

"He said he'd be here soon," Amanaru said, and added in her mind, _and that he'd tell me just what the hell's going here._

"Um, who are you?" a timid voice asked from the foliage, and a light brown rabbit appeared.

 _Cream!_ a voice, definitely male, said in surprise.

Amanaru stared at the rabbit and replied, "Amanaru. How'd you get in here?"

The rabbit giggled and answered, "Cheese led me here." She hoisted the Chao in her arm up for Amanaru to see better. It was almost a clone of the girl who held it, with a tiny red bowtie around its neck.

Déjà vu struck the hedgehog hard.

"I've seen that Chao before," Amanaru murmured.

"I know you have, he's been in here watching you and your brother play for a while."

"Why didn't he come out and play with us, then?" Amanaru asked, walking carefully towards the girl and the Chao.

"He told me it wasn't polite to join in without an invitation."

"Isn't that… nice of him," the hedgehog replied, caught a little off guard. "But, why'd you come out now, then? I'm not really in the mood to entertain right now."

"Because of Blaire!" the rabbit replied, smiling big.

"Blaire?"

"Yeah, she's one of the Chao from the garden near my home."

"And where is that exactly?"

"The garden?"

"Your home."

"On the surface of the planet. At the base of the Great Waterfall, which is upstream of the Silver-hogs, and almost straight below the Wavewings," the rabbit replied, "Blaire can't make that trip, so I'd like to ask if you could come get her."

"Uh, I'm kinda in trouble right now. All the people I thought were my friends and family just started hunting me down for no reason."

"Oh, don't worry!" the rabbit said happily, smiling again, "I asked Argentum on the way here, and he said you'd be able to."

A rustle behind Amanaru made her turn her head around, and she breathed a sigh of relief as Zulkin appeared. She then turned around to talk to the rabbit girl some more, but nothing was left but the Chao swarming around Zulkin.

The hedgehog shook her head and asked Zulkin, "So what's up? Why's everyone so interested in me all of a sudden?"

"Well, it's a good thing you weren't at dinner, that's for sure. Kaisha and several others denounced you as a traitor."

"What? On what grounds?" Amanaru asked with a growl.

"Well, apparently the Master Emerald's gone missing."

"But that hasn't happened in ages!"

"Doesn't mean it can't still happen. But listen, they tried to say you did it, but mom'n'dad didn't believe them. Then Kaisha says, 'But what about that night eleven eclipses ago? What if the Shadow-hogs were just trying to get you behind our borders so they could take the gem?' And you know what?"

"I'm scared to ask. So just tell me."

"They believed her!"

"What do you believe?" Amanaru asked quietly, staring at the ground.

"Why, you of course! Why the hell would you steal the Master Emerald? I mean, yeah, you can blow stuff up with it, but I saw you that night," Zulkin grabbed Amanaru's arm and made sure he had full command of her eyes and ears, "I saw you that night all those eclipses ago and somewhere in the back of my mind I knew it was safe with you."

"You trust me."

"With my life. And I hope you trust me enough to listen to me when I say wait 'till nightfall. When it hits, leave the island through the forest and stay high in the trees until you reach the edge."

"Glide then?"

"Yeah, glide. Head as far east as you can until you hit the place where the Blur-hogs are. They're all deep blue colored, and extremely fast- probably faster'n you, Mana. Look for Caldin, and tell him you're my sister. He'll let you crash with him until I can come find you."

"What if he doesn't?"

"Doesn't what?"

"Let me stay with him."

"I highly doubt that, but if he doesn't, head north of the Blur-hogs. You'll come across a whole colony of foxes with two tails. There's a girl named Avola there. Try her."

"Thank you."

"No problem, sis. I got to look out for you, don't I?" He smiled and gave his sister a tight hug. When he finally let go, he said, "I've been gone a bit too long, and they're probably wondering where I am. I'll see you with other hedgehogs, hopefully."

"And foxes if that doesn't pan out, Zulkin." Amanaru smiled grimly as her brother crawled through the hole. As soon as she couldn't hear him anymore, she turned to Makis. "Makis, can you Chao wake me up when it's time for me to go?"

"Of course, Mana. We'll make sure you are kept safe. We trust you just as much as Zulkin does. I wonder why those people spoke so harshly of you."

Amanaru sighed. "I think I know why."

"Please tell us, then."

"Not much to it. Lots of the more power-hungry echidnas were just sore that I got inducted into the royal family after a couple of days."

"That makes no sense," Makis said.

"Eh. People think I'd have a shot at power if I bumped off Zulkin. But I love him to much to do that kind of thing," Amanaru's eyes widened as she realized what she had just said and quickly covered it up with, "I need to get some rest if I'm to make a mad dash out of her, guys. Will you-"

"We'll make sure that you're up with the moon."

"Thanks, guys."

The albino nestled into some thick bushes, deciding that if someone accidentally stumbled upon the Clearing, she wouldn't be instantly discovered. Her eyes fluttered shut, and for once, no scenes of hedgehogs or metallic monsters or anything- just darkness.

"It's okay, Mana," Makis whispered to himself, hovering over the sleeping hedgehog, "I know what you were going to say. And I won't tell him, Mana. Not unless you say so."


	3. Chapter 3

Amanaru woke to the high pitched chatter of the chao, and she felt one of them shaking her gently. She slowly opened her eyes, mumbling something about how she didn't want to wake up. Makis hit her as hard as he could with his tiny fist, and she shot to her feet, fully awake.

"Damn, Makis. You could've been a little nicer about that," Amanaru muttered, rubbing her cheek where the chao had struck her.

"You wanted up, I woke you. Shouldn't you be going?" Makis made sure too keep his tone stern, even if he was adorably high pitched.

"Uh oh. Thanks so much guys. If I never see you again, I love you all," Amanaru reached out to give Makis a hug, and was swarmed instead by the loving chao. When they finally let go, she smiled and headed through the tunnel, making sure to keep an ear perked and ready.

Amanaru came to the other side of the tunnel and quietly shimmied up into the nearest tree, making sure to go as high as she could before even attempting to leap to the nearest tree. She made a fair amount of progress this way, and before she knew it, she was three-fourths the way there.

Then things started to take a turn for the worse.

_Drop, girl. Run!_

 _

The ground dropped out from below her suddenly, startling her so badly that she didn't get into a glide until it was too late, and she crashed into the trees. Bark and branches ripped at her fur, skin, and light clothes, and thick trunks mercilessly batted her back and forth like a cat does a mouse it plans on eating. The albino hedgehog finally struck the unyielding earth with a thud, but she had passed out by the time she had finally landed.

When Amanaru finally opened her eyes, twilight had come.

"Man," the hedgehog girl mumbled to herself, "How long have I been out?"

_

About two days,

"Who the hell are you?" Amanaru yelled as she stumbled.

_

Look over here, and tell me you don't know me,

He was a black hedgehog who was nonexistent from the waist down, and his ruby eyes locked on her like lasers. He was familiar in all aspects, from his upturned head spikes to his white mane, and Amanaru knew him instantly.

"Shadow?"

"Glad you remember. I haven't seen you face-to-face in years."

Amanaru gave him a puzzled look.

"When did that happen?"

"You'll remember in due time. For now, however, we are still being hunted. We need to get a move on."

"We? Why we? I don't think you'd be in any danger," Amanaru asked, both shocked and deeply honored at the appearance of such an ennobled figure.

"I'll explain later, but we really do have to be going," Shadow replied, pointing past Amanaru, "That's the way you need to go to get to the Blurr hogs. I've been keeping us hidden, which has taken us a little off track I'm afraid to say. However, you should be able to get there easily enough."

"Okay, then," Amanaru replied, walking in the direction Shadow had pointed. She was still too sore after her fall to be able to do much more than such, but she was surprised she wasn't in worse shape.

After a few steps, the albino turned to see if Shadow were still there, but he had vanished.

"Weird," Amanaru said, shrugging and continuing on. After a while, her feet grew extremely sore, and she scurried up a tree as best as she could, more worried about safety than her aching frame.

"You're a pretty smart kid," a voice remarked from beside Amanaru. Her head jerked sideways; Shadow had returned.

"How'd you do that?" Amanaru asked, genuinely confused.

Shadow sighed, "I'm not necessarily sure the easiest way to explain it."

"Try."

"Okay then. You and I are pretty much the same person. Or, to be more accurate, similar people in the same body."

"Never mind, you shouldn't have," Amanaru said, grimacing.

"It will make more sense if you give it time. But for now, we've got to get going. I sense something nearby, and we shouldn't stick around to see whether or not it's something friendly."

"But my feet still hurt a bit," Amanaru whined.

Shadow's eyes narrowed, "Girl, a lot more of you is bound to hurt if whatever out there means us harm."

"Fine," Amanaru said with annoyance, dropping lightly from the tree and continuing on. Shadow had once again disappeared, but that didn't bother Amanaru. What did bother the albino was the increasing rustling noises that were starting to surround her.

Finally, a tall, black-and-red hedgehog appeared in front of her at a distance. Amanaru breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's just you, Shadow."

"That's isn't me, kid," Shadow's voice replied, in her head rather than in front of her.

"Uh oh," Amanaru mumbled to herself, backing away from the figure, not turning.

"Behind you!" Shadow called, too late, as a strong pair of arms wrapped around Amanaru like a snake. Instantly, she started squirming, jerking back and forth violently. The grip involuntarily loosened, and Amanaru curled into a ball to free herself completely.

As she came out of her ball, she turned on her captor, raining kick after kick upon them.

"There's another," Shadow warned, "Duck, kid."

Amanaru dropped quickly as another of the black-and-red hedgehogs sailed over her head.

"We need to leave, don't we?" Amanaru mumbled, her eyes flicking around as the leaves began to turn black and red.

"Leaving would be best right about now," Shadow replied.

Out of nowhere one of the hedgehogs streaked forward and pinned Amanaru to the ground, burrying her face in the mud-and-leaf floor of the forest.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" a voice asked as footsteps approached. The voice was oddly familiar, but Amanaru felt like it belonged to some fantasy monster rather than to some ancient reality. A hand roughly lifted her face up into that of one out of her nightmares.

"Why, it's that filthy runt again, boys!" Nightflare called, smiling devilishly.

"That's Amanaru to you, you clan-proud prick," the albino growled from beneath the Shadow-hog.

"I thought it was 'Shadow the Ultimate'," Nightflare replied with sarcasm, looking up at his comrades.

"You say that like I've lost the title."

"You never had anywhere _near_ such a revered title, whelp," he roared, raising his hand and striking Amanaru hard across the face.

"Big mistake, you over zealous prick!" a voice rang out across the forest. All of the Shadow-hogs looked around for the source of the insult instead of Nightflare, who glared at Amanaru.

"This time, whelp, you get to live. Next time, you'll probably not get lucky enough for him to come for you." Night flare motioned the hedgehog pinning Amanaru to rise, and they jumped swiftly off.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked as someone helped Amanaru gently to her feet.

"Yeah," she replied, "It could have been worse."

"Take the whelp and leave, or we'll take you as well," Nightflare snarled.

"What, not willing to start up a war with my clan and our friends?"

"Leave, you impotent child."

"Of course," the person that had helped Amanaru up bowed in a mocking manner, then hefted her up and dashed away through the forest.

After the green blur finally sorted itself out into all the varying greens and browns of the forest, Amanaru's savior set her down so she could get a decent look at him.

"Sonic?" she asked, the name of the blue hedgehog finally slipping off of her tongue.

The blue hedgehog in front of her just laughed, holding his stomach hard as he bent double. When his laughter had turned to giggles, he wiped an imaginary tear from the corner of his emerald-colored eye and looked at Amanaru to make absolutely sure she was joking. Her face told him she wasn't.

"You honestly think I'm Sonic the Hedgehog?" he asked.

"Well, you look exactly like him, except for the boots and gloves," Amanaru replied defensively.

"At least you've got the clan right. I'm a Sonic-hog, better known as a Blur-hog," he held out his hand to shake, "My name's Caldin."

___


End file.
